When I was in 6th grade, Taylor Swift's first single, "Teardrops on my Guitar" was released. I didn't know it then, but she was quickly becoming the most powerful pop singer in the world. Now, fresh off of kicking Apple into submission with this tumblr post, she is more powerful than ever. Never before has an artist had so much ability to make and break corporations, and it's really quite formidable. However, is it really right for one person, no matter who they are, to have that immense power?
One of Swifts claims to fame is the way she treats her fans: with kindness, generosity, and with genuine love. In the past year alone, Swift has had cookie-eating parties with fans, donated to fans in need, written blog posts of support for those going through boy troubles on her blog, and even showed up to a fan's wedding at one of her concerts. All of that is practically unthinkable, and in doing that Taylor has created a devout following for herself.
Despite her wonderful treatment of fans, she does not treat others the same way. One English freelance photographer, Jason Sheldon, revealed in this post the hypocrisy in her demands from music companies and the image contracts photographers must sign in order to cover her tour. In addition, her legal team has cracked down on Etsy stores that featured fan-made items using her lyrics/likeness. It can be argued that these people are "leeching off her fame" to make some money for themselves, but hey, they have to live too! As someone who is broke as it gets and is constantly looking for a way to raise money so I can get by, I can understand their struggle and the difficulty of having these sorts of opportunities taken from them.
This year, Swift is bigger than ever and she only keeps going up. However, nobody knows what the future holds or if these allegations will cause any issues in the future.
